Aneroid and operating means therefor



Oct. 17, 1933. P. KOLLSMAN ANEROID-AND OPERATING MEANS THEREFOR Filed March 7, 1930 IIII/I/III/Illl 'I IIIIIIIIIII/II/ Patented Oct.17,- 1933 PATENT oFFIcF.

ANEROID A-ND OPERATING MEANS THEREFOR Paul Kollsman, Woodhaven, N. Y.

Application March '7, 1930. Serial No. 433,882

8 Claims.

This invention relates to instruments, such as aneroids, and operating means therefor.

One object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described, including an improved evacuated aneroid which is self sustaining so as to be substantially free of lag.

In aneroids heretofore known in the art, a strongspring has been generally mounted internally or externally of the aneroid to take up 10 a substantial portion of the stress created by atmospheric pressure. This was considered absolutely essential for evacuated aneroids. By means of the auxiliary spring, the strain on the aneroid walls was kept within certain limits 5 which were considered necessary for correct and reliable operation. But the use of the auxiliary spring not only increased the cost of the" device, but rendered adjustment of the instrument much more difiicult and caused a high degree of lag.

According to this invention, it was perceived that an auxiliary spring was unnecessary, but

that the wall of the aneroidpossesses suflicient strength and resilience, or can be so constructed, as by providing an edge re'enfor'cement therefor, thus rendering the aneroid self sustaining,

dispensing with the auxiliary spring, and by providing certain uniform characteristics in the wall of the aneroid, simplifying the adjustment and cost of manufacture of the device, and improving the accuracy thereof.

In the manufacture'of aneroids as heretofore practiced, three steps were necessary. The aneroid walls were joined or soldered together, then the aneroidwas evacuated, and finally the aneroid was heat treated. By my invention, the aneroid walls are soldered together in a heated evacuated chamber, whereby the aneroid is constructed in one step, the soldering, evacuating, and heat treating being accomplished in a single 40 operation.

' Another object of the invention is to provide an aneroid with improved temperature compensating means.

Another object of this invention is to construot a device of the nature set forth in which an improved mounting is provided to'coact with the operating means for making fine adjustments in the device, preferably without necessitating that the same be disassembled.

vision of a device of the class alluded to having improved means for mounting and guiding the hair spring.

Other objects are to provide an instrument of a reliable nature, which is simple and relatively the hair spring and mounting therefor.

Another object of the invention is the-pro inexpensive to manufacture, has a rugged mounting; few operating parts, is easily adjustable, and is efficient in use to a high degree.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the specification pro ceeds.

With the aforesaid objects in view, the'invention consists in the novel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described in their preferred embodiments, pointed out in the subjoined claims, and illustrated on the annexed drawing, wherein like parts are designated by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

y In the drawing: Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of a device embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an inside view in rear elevation of 75 the operating means of the device.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side view of an aneroid.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the aneroid taken on line 55 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of an aneroid 30 with any elementary operating mechanism.

Fig. '7 is a sectional view of the aneroid in expanded condition. I

Fig. 8 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of Generally described, the invention provides an instrument, which may be an altimeter, although various features of the invention may be embodied in instruments of many different types. An altimeter includes an aneroid which is preferably evacuated so as to be practically unaf-. fected by temperature changes which cause expansion or contraction of air. The aneroid walls have the requisite strength and resilience to take up all the stress of atmospheric pressure and are, by this invention, caused to have uniform characteristics and deformations. Therefore auxiliary springs to re-enforce the aneroid are. unnecessary and the perception of this fact is an element of they invention. The auxiliary springs heretofore used were capable of taking up one-half of the total atmospheric pressure on the aneroid. Since atmospheric pressure is approximately 14.7 pounds per squareinch, the

auxiliaryspring had to be very strong. It was aneroid and the sustaining spring, effects of tem- I perature thereon, and actions at the joints where the spring was connected to the aneroid. It will be appreciated that a. slight spring action may be associated with an aneroid made according-to this invention, for the purpose of assisting in the calibration of the instrument or for similar purposes. But my evacuatedaneroid is in every case self sustaining. The auxiliary springs referred to, whether externally or internally positioned in the aneroids of the prior art, may be generally denominated as external springs, or as productive of external spring action in contradistinction to the inherent internal spring action of the aneroid wall.

The aneroid can be used with any type of operating mechanism, and is not to be limited to that herein disclosed. While an improved process for the manufacture of the aneroid is set forth, yet the aneroid herein defined may be made in various processes, and is not to be limited to any mode of manufacture, the structure being independentthereof. Likewise the process can-be used in the manufacture of aneroidsheretofore known, or any other kinds of pressure diaphragms, which must be evacuated.

One type of self sustaining aneroid contemplated by my invention may include, an edge or 'marginal reenforcement for avoiding or minimizing distortion of the aneroid, as by sustaining the movable portions of the aneroid along theirperipheries, so that the' same.are adapted to withstand strains, vibrations and other forces to which the aneroid may be subiected, and whereby the support or balance that may be afforded by an external spring becomes unnecessary. O

The advantages of the invention as here outlined are best realized-when all of its features and instrumentalities are combined in one and the same structure, but, useful devices may be produced embodying less than the whole.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, that the same may be incorporated in several different constructions. The accompanying drawing, therefore, is submitted merely as showing the preferred exemplification of the invention.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 10 denotes.

an aneroid embodying the invention. The same 4 is of the evacuated type, and may be made of any suitable metal. One form in which the aneroid is constructed, shows a plurality of plates 'or walls 11 and 12 which are interconnected in am desired manner to provide a chamber 13.

The diameter of the aneroid may be made to suit the operating requirements, but the aneroid possesses suflicientstrength to withstand the atmospherie pressure and is nevertheless sufliciently resilient to delicately respond to changes in atmospheric pressure. In general, the aneroid has many characteristics in common with the usual well known aneroid, but it is different therefrom in being free of any auxiliary spring, either internal or external, so that the aneroid must itself take up the full stress of atmospheric pressure. In this sense, the aneroid is self -sustaining. By making the wall of the aneroid of suflicient strength, it will readily sustain that stress and yet be resiliently responsive to changes therein. The required strength of the aneroid walls can be readily ascertained in various-ways, and the thickness of the wall maybe adjusted accordingly. In general, it may be stated that in an aneroid constructed according to my principle the wall reasonably thin for accurat Stimthereby is aided by the fact that the outermost tive operation, and the corrugations, curves, or folds 14 may be of any well lmowp or desirable characteristics.

While the aneroid .10 maybe variously constructed, it may be indicated asconsisting of a plurality of symmetrical plates 11, 12 having reenforcingfianges 15 which may be soldered or oiherwise fastened together, forming a rigid peripheral band. Connected to the aneroid walls centrally and in alinement therewith are members 16, 1'7, the former of which may be used to mount the aneroid, and the latter for connection to a suitable indicating means. The elimi-' nation of the external spring and the lag caused corrugation, whichextends up to flanges 15, is the deepest corrugation, while the inner or remaining corrugations are of approximately uniform depth, so that the walls extend continuously and in a substantially uniform concave curve to the center thereof, whereby deflections transverse to the inner corrugations are approximately uniform and unrestricted. It will be understood that'the outermost corrugation accounts for a substantial part of the expansive movement of the aneroid. v

By this invention the hyste and after effect are reduced to a small fracti of what was considered good practice prior to this invention.

An improved method of constructing an aneroid, which is applicable to an aneroid made according to this inventionfior any other aneroid, will now be described. The aneroid walls 11, 12 are placed into an evacuaed chamber in which no they are uniformly heated. and the flanges 15 soldered together. The heat may be applied to the aneroid directly or to the evacuated chamber. Although the heat may be applied solely to the flanges, it is preferable that the entire aneroid lil be heated, as that improves the characteristics of the metal. It is thus seen that in one opera tion the aneroid may be evacuated, soldered, and heat treated simultaneously.

By means of'the peripheral reenforcing strucm ture, the movable portions of the aneroid are compelled to deflect in a perfectly uniform manner at every point' of any circle concentric with the movable portions. The corrugations are thus aided to maintain a uniform deformation, and 118 stresses beginningat' the periphery by defleeflon of the movable portions, which stresses may tend to cause a localized strain in the aneroid in a radial or diametral direction are taken up. The reenforcing act-ion above indicated is apparently 1 due. to the fact that the flanges maintain an accurate geometric relation. of the aneroid with respect to a central plane at right angles to the aneroid axis, and also maintain a true circle sdjacent to the periphery of the movable parts of 133 the aneroid by reason ofthe rlgidity vof the flanges in the general direction of said plans;

It will be listed that the reenforcement 15 is symmetrically disposed along a plane passing centrally' through the aneroid at right angles to-the axis thereof and is continuously'connected to 4 the aneroid. An evacuated aneroid thus'cmstructed has its solder joint free of tension at all atmospheric pressures, unlike the spring loaded aneroid,'since all-axial stresses are taken up in the bearing relation of the flanges. The elastic portions of the aneroid walls are concave and do not assume a convex position bydeiiection, so that thedeflection curve of the aneroid is uniform, making for accuracy in calibration.

and these elastic portions are always spaced from each other for freedom of response of the self sustaining aneroid at all atmospheric pressures.

Any suitable type of indicating means may be operated by the aneroid 10, and therefore a conventional arrangement is shown herein, including a link 18 connected at one end to the member 1'7 of the aneroid, at is other end to a gear segment 19, pivotally mounted at 20. A counterbalance for the gear segment is shown at 21. The

teeth of the gear segment mesh with those of a gear train or pinion 22, which turns a poin'er 23.

Other features of invention which may be used with the aneroid 10, or any other aneroid, may be embodied in an indicator 24. The sameincludes a casing of any desired form or material and having a front opening for a dial 26. The rear of the casing is closed by a plate 27 or the like. Within the casing, is a securing means such as an annular flange 28 in relative proximity to the front of the casing. On this flange, the indicator mechanism may be mounted in a stationary manner within the casing. The dial 26 may pass through the opening 28a in the flange 28 and is rotatable so that it may be set at any desired point. To rotate the dial, the same may have its edge portion formed to constitute a gear 29, the teeth of which mesh with those of a pinion 30 that is turned by the knob 31.

Supporting the indicator mechanism is a strong disc 32 which is secured to the flange 28 by fasteners such as screws 33, thus re-enforcing the indicator casing. Secured to the disc 32 are a plurality of standards 34, 35 which extend in parallelism toward the rear of the casing. Interconnecting the ends of the standards, remotely from the support or disc 32 is an adjustable means 36 whereby the standards may be moved slightly toward each other for effecting a delicate adjustment of the instrument, from the outside thereof, as hereinafter more particularly set forth. The said adjustable means 36 may include one or more movable member's 3'7, 38. These may be in the nature of leaf springs, and both are secured at their ends 39 to the standards 34, 35. Through the spring 3'7 is threaded a screw 40, the same bearing on the spring 38, and the head of the screw being accessible through a hole 41 in .the cover plate 2'7.

An aneroid '10, of the kind hereinbefore defined, or any other suitable type, is mounted on the standard 35 by the member 16 thereof for free and unrestricted movement in expansion and contraction. The latter may engage the standard in any feasible way, but is preferably extended through a hole 42 therein and adjustably locked therein by a set screw 43. v

Connected to the aneroid is a link 44 which has engagement with the member 1'1. The other end of the link is connected to an arm45 extending from a shaft 46. The said shaft is journaled in the disc 32 and also in a bracket 4'? mounted on the standard 34. The arm 45 is resilient for adjustability, which is provided for by a set'screw 48. In this manner, the degree of rotation of the shaft 46 for a given movement of the aner'oid may be adjusted.

late purely to the mechanism are intended to be considered in an illustrative sense.

In certain types of indicators, it is desirable to so arrange the same that the pointer may rotate many times in order to obtain an accurate dial reading. An additional pointer may be provided to indicate the rotations of the first mentioned pointer. Where the spindle of the pointer makes many rotations, the hair spring is subjected to considerable stress which may cause a lateral strain -or deflection in the hair spring. It has therefore been customary to carefully design the hair spring with a view to avoid a large side deflection thereof. By this invention, a guide or supporting disc 55 is mounted alongside the hair spring, and the said disc may be secured directly on the spindle 51. Accordingly any suitable hair spring may be efliciently employed.

The adjustable action of the means 36 will now be clearly apparent. By manipulating the screw 41, the springs 37, 38 may be sprung apart, drawing the standards 34, 35 together and thus changing the relation of the aneroid 10, the link 44 and the arm 45. The leverage of the mechanism may thus be increased or decreased, and the indicator adjusted without taking the same apart. It may be noted that the standards 4, 35 may be variously engagedwith the disc 32, b being nxedly or movably secured thereto. Preferably the fixed connection is used, as rigidity in the mechanism mounting is thus assured, and the relative movement of the standards may be accomplished by a slight spring action therein, or in the said disc, or in both. I

To provide temperature compensation for the indicator, a strip of a metal 56, other than that of the said link is secured thereto, whereby the link is a thermostat. The length of the strip 56 may be varied according to the-degree of temperature compensation desired. The bimetallic construction of the link will cause the same tobend and change in length and thus to allow for temperature variations which might affect the aneroid. It will be appreciated that the bimetallic structure may be provided on any link, lever, or other operating part, as the construction of the mechanism may permit.

In Fig. 5 is shown another arrangement of a thermostat, this being shown at 5'1 and being adjustable according to the degree of temperature compensation desired. The thermostat 57 is in the nature of an arm that is ex tended through a hole in a member 58 in which it is adjustably positioned and secured by a set screw 59.. Toan end of the thermostat 57 is secured a link, or the like, that may connect with the operating mechanism. The greater the length of the arm 57 that extends from the member 58, thegreater the temperature compensation, and vice versa. The aneroid and thermostat may be interconnected and adjusted as a temperature compensated unit before being assembled with the indicating mechanism.

If a springcoaction with the aneroid 10 be desired, for purposes of calibration, and the like,

any suitable spring 60 may be secured to the aneroid 10 and to a bracket arm 61 on the standard 34. The spring 60 is shown in dotted lines as the use thereofis optional, but indicates the nature and scope of the invention in the aneroid. 1

It will be understood that the temperature compensating means may be used in other types of indicators, and thatall matter herein shown is merely illustrative, and is not to be construed in a limiting sense.

III

I claim: 1. An altimeter including an evacuated aneroid characterized in that the same is self sustainingrugations, and the remaining corrugations being of approximately uniform depth.

2. An altimeter including an evacuated aneroid centrally mounted at one side thereof, and an indicating mechanism connected to the opposite side of the aneroid, the aneroid being self sustaining against atmospheric pressure so as to aiford the sole force for actuating the mechanism, said aneroid having the sides thereof conslsting of elastic walls, each of said walls having concentric corrugations the outer corrugation adjacent to the periphery of the wall being of substantiallygreater depth than the inner, corrugations, said walls having flanged edges interconnected with a ductile material at the outer corrugations, the portions of the walls within said outer corrugations'being characterized in that the inner corrugations include a corrugation in proximity to the axis of the aneroid, and said inner corrugations being sub- I stantially/ uniform so that a substantially even corrugation extending along an edge thereof,

. axis of the aneroid to said edge, and having an said diaphram extending continuously from the annular outward extending flange reenforcement along said edge, the diaphram being continuously uniformly concave from the axis to said -c0rrugation, the concavity being of sufilcient depth so thatsaid diaphram is constantly concave over a wide range. of altitude including the sea level and maximum available altitudes. for said aircraft.

oid having a plurality of walls reenforcingly united at the edges thereof, said walls being free of external spring pressure so as to be self sustaining, said walls having central portions continuously substantially uniformly concaved toward each other and provided with corrugations of approximately uniform depth.

I 5 A device including an aneroid, said aneroid having an axially extending element, a thermostatic strip extending transversely of said axis and adjustably connected to said element for movement transverse to said axis, and indicating means connected to said thermostatic strip in spaced relation to said element for actuation by the aneroid. whereby the aneroid and thermostatic strip constitutes a unit that can be adjusted prior to assembling the same with the indicating means.

6. A device including a pressure sensitive diaphram, a thermostat elongated at an angle to the diaphram axis so as to deform in the gem eral direction of said axis, means on the diaphram for adjustably clamping the thermostat thereto at a point adjacent to the center thereof, and indicating means connected to the ther mo'stat in spaced relation to the clamping means.

7. A device including an aneroid, a compensating thermostat adjustably, connected thereto in normally fixed relation to the aneroid,- and indicating mechanism pivotally connected to the thermostat at a fixed point thereof.

8. A new article of manufacture consistingof an aneroid having a supporting portion there- PAUL KOLLSMAN.

DIB'QLAIME R":

1,930,899. Paul Kollsman, Woodhaven, N. Y. ANERoID Ann Orriaarmo MEANS THEREFOR. Patent dated October 17, 1933. Disclaimer filed February 27, 1939, by the patentee.

Herebg disclaims claims 2 and 3 asset forth in said Letters Patent.

[ Gazette Ztlarch 21, 1.939.] 

